I VISIT VESPA

OCT 12

I left Il Poggiolino at 8 am and headed down the mountain toward the autostrada under  clear blue skies.  If all went well and the traffic was not backed up around Florence I should be in Pontedera, home of  Vespa scooters, by 10.

As most of you know, I now own two red Vespas, Scoot and Big Red, and one of my passions is riding around the back roads of America  meeting people and seeing the real America. Since I was in Italy, I figured I should pay a visit to the home of Scoot and Big Red.

Traffic around Florence was moderate through the on going construction and I was looking for a big blue sign that said FIRENZE-PISA-LIVORNO. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little blue arrow sign on the side of the autostrada saying FI-PI-FV flash by at 70mph.. Knowing in morning traffic to go to the next exit and turn around could take an extended period of time, I acted like I was in Rome and cut across traffic and made the exit.  I was disappointed as I only got one small honk from a truck and no gestures.

I had made a post on the ModernVespa.com website in early September looking for insight about what was available at the Vespa plant.  I was told that all I would be able to do was visit the free museum.  That was not the answer I wanted to hear, so I pressed on. A week or so later I got an email from an executive at Vespa America in New York City. He had read my post and not only is he an executive of Vespa, he is a Vespa enthusiast and understood my desire to see the Mecca of Vespa.  We exchanged a few emails and then he called me.  We had a great chat.  He told why touring the plant floor was not possible and I told him I understood, but had to ask or it would never happen. That said, he said he would contact Pontedera and see if he could arrange a few things for me. I thank you sir for you kindness and understanding. I sincerely hope our scooters cross paths in the future.

 A short time later, I got an email from Geltrude Guido of External Relations and Institutional Affairs of Piaggio at their headquarters in Milano.  We exchanged several emails about scheduling and then they put me in email contact with Annalisa Rosi who would be my contact in Pontedera.

I arrived in Pontedera, or Vespa City as it is some times referred to by the people of Piaggio and the factory, a little before 10, so I walked around the plant area.  The main street by the plant is Via Piaggio and is pretty non-descript.  There is no big sign saying Vespa or Piaggio or grand entrance, though it is etched in stone over each major entrance..  On the left of the street  is the exterior wall of the old and new plant with large opaque windows with bars and it goes on for 100’s of meters. On the opposite side of the street are offices, homes and a few cafés.  Right against the back side of the plant is all housing. Nothing can be seen from the street.

via piaggio

As I entered the court yard to the museum they were unloading the new Piaggio MP3 Hybrid.  The demo driver gave me a tour of the bike as best he could in a mixture of Italian and English.  It is quite an interesting set up, but with a short range and a price tag of over 9,000 euros/ $12,500- it seems very expensive to me.  In Europe, where the price of gas is over $6 a gallon, it may make sense. It is a totally silent vehicle. (The Harley boys would go nuts riding this thing.  They actually might be able to think without a load of exhaust in their ear.)

 the plug....where is the wall socket?

 the star of the show

Galli Sergio, a 30 year employee of Piaggio, took me into the museum to meet Annalisa Rosi.  She turned me over to Giacomo Paolicchi for a tour of the museum.  The museum is actually run by the Piaggio Foundation, which was established in 1994 by the Piaggio family.

Galli Sergio

annalisa and giacomo

Giacomo was a great guide and host.  Vespa, which means wasp in Italian, was given the name because of its form and it sounds like  a wasp.  The first proto-type in 1944 was rejected because the motor was too hard to get to and it did not have the step-through body. It had to accommodate the skirt of  women and the robe of a Priest to make it the transport for the whole family.. So, it was redesigned to address those problems and it is still the basic design over 65 years later.

 first prototype

 first production model

 most valuble vespa signed by Dali and his girlfriend in Spain as the 3 guys in the picture were riding across europe

 painted by Ugo Nespolo this year

i knew they made one for a big boy somewhere

My goal was to get a look at the production line.  NO ONE gets a tour of the production line.  You can see the Vespa production line from the employee cafeteria in the 2-wheel plant.  It is one of three cafeterias.  No one gets in the plant and NO pictures are allowed, but……..

If you were to get to visit the cafeteria, you would exit the museum to Via Piaggio and turn left.  There are two entrances to the plant. A “white collar” entrance and a “blue collar” entrance.  Surely you would want to enter the “blue collar” entrance as those are the people that built your machine and probably the people who could make your visit happen..  To get in that entrance you have to get past Maurizo, the guard.  He cannot be photographed in the plant, but if he just happens to be standing at the gate, that is ok.  You swipe your card on the card reader just past Maurizo’s door on the right and walk straight down the large open area, turn right and go through the administrative building and down along the two wheel plant where you would turn left into the cafeteria. It is a very lovely cafeteria with fixed tables and straight ahead a  U shaped serving line.  You would pick up your tray and accessories and the ladies would serve you what you would like. You would not be surprised to see pasta, of course, but they usually have two entrees to choose from, salad, fruits and desserts.  To pay, you would use your ID card or if you were a guest, you would use a card given to you by the department that let you in and they would be billed.

blue collar entrance

 maurizo

down this hall and turn right.  card reader on yellow strip on right side

But, you probably would not be there for the food.  You would be there for the view. Because the walls of the cafeteria are glass and on the other side of that glass is the Vespa production line.  What a wonderful view. But like I said, that is if  you could get in.

I left after lunch and headed back to Il Poggiolino.  You can actually ride your Vespa on the autostrada if your engine is larger than 149cc and you have suicidal tendencies.  I put Punto in the left lane and decided to let it run with the big boys.  At 150 kph/93 mph, 5,200 rpm, and the big boys flashing their lights in my rearview mirror, I moved to the right lane and slowed to 130kph/80 mph as the Mercedes, BMW, a Fiat panel truck and a lone Mazerrati swished past me. I think I like the speed of my Vespas better.

I would like to once again thank all those at Vespa/Piaggio that made this trip possible. Especially the executive in New York and all the blue collar people who make the Vespa and can make dreams come true.